


Take as Prescribed

by CodeMangaGirl



Series: Medication [2]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Caulscott - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Multi, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Warnings will be put on individual chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-02-26 11:27:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13234728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CodeMangaGirl/pseuds/CodeMangaGirl
Summary: Set four years after the events of Medication, this addition to the series follows Max and Nathan through their senior year of college.In other words it is mostly happy fluff because the main storyline is very dark. Each story can be read as a one shot but they will more or less follow the calendar year.





	1. 12.31.2017

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year! I hope that this addition to the Medication series is a good gift! I've decided that since the main story is getting very dark, that a light hearted addition to it would be a nice refresher for everyone, including myself. My goal is to update this every month! As always, thanks to BariSaxiGinger for being my beta reader!

After four years of pestering me endlessly, Nathan had finally convinced me to attend one of the stupid New Year’s parties he was always getting invited to. Normally I was able to use the excuse of staying home with my family for the winter break and not wasting the expense of traveling into the city for one night, but after moving into an apartment with him, there was little I could use to get out of the various events he kept attempting to drag me to. How could I use the excuse of staying home when my home was here? 

“Babe, you nearly ready?” Nathan peaked his head into our bedroom. 

I shot him a dark glare. I swear he used the pet name just in spite of my dislike for it. My suspicion was affirmed by the smile that spread across his face when he caught my eye. “I mean…” He started in a singsong voice, “dearest, perfect, beautiful, lover of mine.”

Now he was just being ridiculous. “Stop that!” I retorted, but couldn’t keep the laughter out of my voice. I picked my clutch off the edge of the bed and made my way to the doorway. “Do I look okay?” I said, taking one last look at myself in the dresser mirror. I had on a pale blue bouffant dress that, in all honesty, Nathan picked out.

He offered me his arm with a flourish. “Like Audrey Hepburn on the red carpet.” 

I looked back to him, dressed in a matching blue dinner jacket. I had to admit, the idea of a 1950s themes party on New Year’s Eve was actually pretty ironic. Why not bring in the new year with a remembrance of the old. Though I knew that it was mostly an excuse for seniors to have one last hurrah before their last semester squeezed what little bit of life they had left in them. 

“You know it’s not really fair.” I stated as a matter of fact while we made our way to the building’s elevator. 

Nathan raised his eyebrow at me. “What? That I’m finally forcing you to go out for once?” 

I hit his arm gently. “Not that. I meant the fact that men’s clothing hasn’t changed the slightest and yet here I am in this poufy… thing.” I let out a sigh. 

“Well, I happen to think you look very pretty in that poufy thing.” 

“I look like a child.” I muttered under my breath. 

Nathan looked me up and down slowly. He flashed me a suggestive look. “On the contrary. I find you rather-” 

“Don’t even.” I raised my hand to cover his mouth. 

He rolled his eyes at me. I slowly removed my hand from his mouth. “All I was going to say was attractive.” He said apologetically. 

“Sure,” I said sarcastically. 

“Honest.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and drummed his fingers lightly. The elevator chimed as the doors opened to the building’s lobby. 

-

Just minutes into the party I had already lost Nathan. I didn’t mind much, since it gave me the opportunity to find a seat that was partially secluded from all the chaos. I sat and watched the partygoers drift from the kitchen area to the dance floor, becoming more intoxicated with each pass. Someone had decided to go all out and hired a local band to replicate various hits from the 50s, which I was thankful for. I didn’t think I would last the night if they played the top 40 hits of the past year. 

As more people arrived at the party, my secluded hiding spot became more and more crowded. Finally, after a drunk frat boy tried to pull me out of my seat and onto the dance floor, I decided to look for another escape. Down a hallway with numerous closed doors and muffled noises I didn’t even want to begin to think about, I found a large glass door that led to a balcony. It was chilly outside and I hadn’t brought a coat, but it was calming to escape the throngs of chatter inside and just hear the city bustling below. 

I wasn’t sure how long I spent looking at the cars passing by. My phone buzzed with a reminder Nathan insisted on setting that it was nearly midnight, pulling me out of my trance. I pulled out the Polaroid Snap that he had given me a couple of Christmases ago. Although I wasn’t too keen on the fact that it was partially digital, it was tiny enough to fit into my clutch. 

I turned towards the entrance to the balcony and fidgeted a bit with the camera settings. At the end of the hallway, I could see that the gathering of people had grown even larger as couples had left the bedrooms to watch the ball drop.

“10, 9, 8, 7!” The crowd began to chant. I sucked in my breath as a cold gust of wind blew through the balcony. 

“6, 5, 4!” A shiver ran through my spine as a realized just how cold I was. 

“3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!” I snapped the shot just as people threw their arms into the air and various couples decided it was appropriate to make out in front of everyone. 

The viewfinder lit up with the shot. It was perfect. I looked up from the camera to see Nathan standing in the doorway, giving me a sly look. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw him and fumbled just to make sure I didn’t drop the camera. 

“Hiding?” Nathan asked as he opened the door and came out onto the balcony with me. He looked at the city below us as people cheered on the streets. Another gust of wind tore through the balcony. “Damn its cold out here.” Nathan turned to look at me, his face hardening with concern. “Fuck, Max, your lips are blue. How long have you been out here?”

I instinctively reached to touch my lips. “Uh…” To be honest, I didn’t know. The city lights had captivated my attention for a while. “Maybe a half an hour?” I came up with a random number.

Nathan took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. His body heat still radiated off it. He took a step towards me and wrapped his arms around me; his chin rested on my head. It was warm. “Wanna go home?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

“You don’t want to stay longer?” I nuzzled my face into his chest. 

“Nah. There’s just one thing I have to take care of before we leave.” Nathan squeezed me tighter.

“What?” The words were harsh and my eyebrows knit together in concern. I pulled back, worried about what business he had to take care of. 

Nathan chuckled and cupped my face with his hand. “A New Year’s kiss, Caulfield.” 

Fireworks rumbled in the distance. The kiss was warm and sweet with the taste of champagne on Nathan’s lips.


	2. 2.14.2018

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! I hope you enjoy this fluff upon fluff of a chapter! 
> 
> I've been super busy with Katsucon prep recently, so the new chapter of Medication won't be out until the end of the month. I hope you like this one in the meantime.

I fumbled with my phone as an annoying alarm chimed, informing me that it was 8 am on February 14th: Valentine’s Day. 

Valentine’s Day was the universal day when the entire country said fuck you to everyone that was single and plastered silly pink hearts everywhere you turned. I hated it. For most of my life, I had been subjected to couples being far too romantic in public and boys hoping that I would somehow have a change of heart and cop them a feel for the sake of the Holiday. That is, I used to hate it. Then I started dating Nathan Prescott. Now I abhor it. 

Every single year Nathan tried to whisk me into some romantic world and surprise me with expensive gifts that I continually asked him not to buy. It was already hard enough to get him to ease up with gifts on my birthday and Christmas; Valentine’s Day just gave him  
another excuse to buy me even more. On top of attempting to shower me in various gifts, Nathan always wanted to take me out, on one of the busiest days of the year, to the various romantic locations Seattle had to offer. 

Nathan rolled over and draped an arm over me. “Mm,” he murmured, still more asleep than awake. I smiled at the mop of brown hair forming gentle curls on his head. He always tried to style them away, but I thought they were cute. My fingers ran their way through the soft strands. 

A warm hand crept its way to intertwine with my fingers. Nathan blinked at me with heavy eyes, a smile creeping onto his face. “Morning, gorgeous.”

“Remember what you promised.” 

“I know, I know.” Nathan raised his hands in defeat. “I swear to you I didn’t buy a single gift.” 

“And you won’t pull any surprises?” I kept my voice firm, knowing it couldn’t be that easy.

“Well...” Nathan stalled. “I kept half of my promise then.”

I pulled a pillow from behind me and started throwing it in his direction. “My God, if you try to take me to some restaurant- “

Nathan threw up his hands in defeat. “Ah! Mercy! Mercy! I know. I swear I’m not taking you to a restaurant! Jesus, woman, you are mad.” 

“Seriously, Nathan!” I said in a stern voice. 

He leaned closer to me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “I promise, with all my heart, you’ll love it.”

-

Classes felt as if they were dragging on forever. I fidgeted in my seat, glancing at the clock from time to time as the professor went on and on about our Senior Projects. Whether or not we graduated depended on our acceptance into the Senior Art Show. My proposal had been accepted, but it was still up to the committee to decide whether or not my final pieces got in or not. Just thinking about it was nerve racking, even if Nathan assured me that everyone got at least something in. 

He wasn’t in class today, which worried me for two reasons. The first was that with this skip, he had used up all his excused absences for the semester in a matter of weeks. Thank you flu season. The second was that I knew he was probably skipping class in preparation of whatever scheme he had planned for tonight.

A soft buzzing in my pocket took me out of my thoughts. Making sure the professor still had his back turned away, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and placed it in my open journal. 

Nathan: Student Parking Garage. 3pm. 

Max: could you be any more cryptic? 

Nathan: Read 2:43pm. 

I rolled my eyes at the message. The next 10 minutes of class I went over the possible ways I could get out of whatever Nathan had planned. Unfortunately, he was my ride home. I could always take the bus home, or even walk. Granted, I had become so accustomed to carpooling with Nathan that I’d probably take the wrong bus or get lost on the way to our apartment. Not to mention, if I didn’t show up, he’d just be waiting for me at home. I briefly considered texting Kate to see if she was free but then remembered she mentioned going to the movies with Warren. It’s funny how 4 years after high school I was still hanging out with the same people. Had much really changed?

The rustling of the person in the desk beside me leaving took me out of my trance. Class was over. Decision time. 

-

We had been driving for over an hour. “You really aren’t going to tell me where we’re going will you?” 

Nathan glanced at me and smiled. “Sure. I’ll tell you.”

My eyes widened and I stared at him. “Seriously? Where?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. 

Nathan put his truck into park and turned to face me. “Well, just take a look around.”

The shoreline stretched on for miles in front of us, and yet it was almost completely deserted. The sun glinted off the water, shining like stars in the distance. It looked as if the entire universe stretched out before us. “Wow,” I whispered.

Nathan reached into the glove compartment and pulled out my camera. “I figured you could add this shot to your collection.” He got out of the car and came around to open my door. 

My senior project was a collection of shots taken at sunset. While I had taken a few of the bay, nothing beat the endless serene of the ocean. 

I was flustered. “Nate, I, Thank you. I can’t believe, just, thank you.” I hugged him as I got out of the truck. He stumbled back a few steps, surprised by my sudden display of public affection. I was not a generally a fan of PDA. 

He gave me a gentle squeeze. “Sun sets in an hour. Let’s get set up.” 

-

“It’s perfect,” Nathan said with a grin. “If I were judging, it would be guaranteed a spot in the senior show. In fact, I’d devote an entire room to the works of Max Caulfield.” He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer on the blanket we had laid out. 

I carefully placed the polaroid in a folder and put it and my camera in my book bag. “It doesn’t even come close to the real thing.” Splashes of oranges and pinks filled the sky as the sun set below the ocean. Gentle waves twinkled with hues of light, refracting and scattering colors in every direction. “I don’t want to ever forget this.”

Nathan pressed into me gently. “So my surprise wasn’t so bad after all?” he questioned. 

I let out a defeated sigh. “No, it was actually pretty awesome.” 

A few minutes passed in pleasant quiet when an idea came to me. “Actually, do you want to take a selfie with me?”

Nathan pulled away and looked at me with one eyebrow raised. “Do you even need to ask? Of course I will take a selfie with the amazingly famous photographer Max Caulfield. I would be honored.” He grabbed my camera out of my backpack and turned it on. Before I could even respond, Nathan kissed me with the sunset behind us as the shutter went off. He smiled as we pulled apart. 

I couldn’t help but smile back. As much as I disliked his spontaneity at times, there were other times when it was just plain cute. The image slowly appeared, our two selves melting into one before the brilliant sunset. It was actually a pretty great photo. “Maybe this one should go into your portfolio,” I said to Nathan as I handed him the shot. 

“Nah. It’s going in my private collection.” He placed it alongside the other one in my bag. 

We watched as the ocean completely swallowed the sun, its last few rays of light following suit. By the time we started packing up, the beach was otherwise empty. 

“Sooo,” Nathan began as he placed the blanket he brought in the back of the truck’s cab. “Since we are so far from home, and it is getting pretty late, I figure we should grab a bite to eat somewhere. I happen to know this one place that may or may not already have a reservation with my name on it.” He shot me a sly grin.

“Nathan!” I slapped him on the shoulder but I couldn’t help but smile.


End file.
